Today, we released an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) Environment Assessment for Tajikistan. This report was carried out in the framework of Internet Society’s partnership agreement with GÉANT with a view to support regional Internet development in Central Asia. The release of this report coincides with the 2nd Central Asian Internet Governance Forum (CAIGF), which takes place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. This […]

The release of this report coincides with the 2nd Central Asian Internet Governance Forum (CAIGF), which takes place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. This event gathers a wide range of stakeholders from Tajikistan as well as from the Central Asian region at large and provides an excellent opportunity to receive wider feedback from the community on our findings and conclusions.

Stakeholder Cooperation Is Key

While the benefits of IXPs are well-established, some 80 countries worldwide, including the five Central Asian Republics, still do not have a local IXP. Developing an IXP in Tajikistan is a vital step in cementing the nation’s Internet sector, making the exchange of traffic between Internet providers much more efficient, reducing costs for providers, and increasing the performance of Internet-based services for the end user.

While some of the Internet challenges Tajikistan faces are geographic – it is a landlocked country with mountainous and earthquake-prone territory – others are linked issues such as telecommunications market conditions, policy environment, and skills levels. This latter group of challenges can be addressed if local stakeholders can agree on common goals and an action plan.

Building a Roadmap

In addition to longer term recommendations to improve the Internet environment in Tajikistan, our report proposes an immediate roadmap to develop an IXP. This roadmap suggests a step-by-step approach starting from strategy formulation and core group formation to IXP services marketing and capacity building. Based on our previous discussions with local stakeholders, the key elements of the IXP development process are likely to be clarification of the policy environment and creation of a neutral institutional framework between the different network operators. These issues need to be tackled locally by the Tajik stakeholders, as any quick fixes or outside pressure will most likely produce an unsustainable result.

Reaping the Benefits

Despite the challenges and the potentially lengthy process, an IXP may open important economic and social opportunities for Tajikistan. Tajikistan could become an Internet transit country, if the planned optical fibre projects linking Central Asia to the nearest submarine cable landing stations in Pakistan are realised. An IXP also encourages the presence of local hosting services, which typically helps increase the amount of global and local content. Locally developed services, for example in the area of e-government and e-commerce, bring value to the local economy and promote inclusiveness for all. The full benefits of an IXP only become apparent over a longer term, so a strategic vision is a must to keep the IXP on track.

Read the full Tajikistan IXP Environment Assessment in English or Russian.

Given that within the coming years, another billion people are going come online along with billions more devices thanks to the Internet of things (IoT), we recognize that the community of Internet professionals and organizations cannot legitimately discuss access without addressing sustainability, especially as it relates to energy. Our support for ARMIX, an Internet exchange […]

Given that within the coming years, another billion people are going come online along with billions more devices thanks to the Internet of things (IoT), we recognize that the community of Internet professionals and organizations cannot legitimately discuss access without addressing sustainability, especially as it relates to energy. Our support for ARMIX, an Internet exchange point (IXP) in Armenia, is testament to this, and reflective of our global development strategy. Around three years ago, ISOC donated 18 solar panels to ARMIX to help cut down on their energy bill and reduce their reliance on nonrenewable power sources. The panels provide around 4 kilowatts of power, and they constitute the first time that ISOC has donated such equipment to an IXP.

We recently spoke with Vahan Hovsepyan, the director of the ARMIX Foundation and a member of the ISOC Armenia Chapter, about what prompted ARMIX to reach out to ISOC with their request and how it has benefited them.

According to Vahan, the idea to reach out to ISOC came about when they decided to integrate renewable energy into their operations to promote green energy solutions as well as reduce their electricity costs and consumption. He added that ARMIX chose solar because they knew about a company installing solar panels in Armenia, and they did not have many other renewable alternatives to consider (such as wind). The Armenian government is also heavily promoting solar. For instance, a bill was being drafted at the time that included stipulations about returning additional capacity gained from renewables, solar in particular, back to the grid – and it become law in 2016. He also stressed that Armenia is in a unique geographic location since the country receives ample sunlight, and the panels largely do not have to be rotated since they are almost always exposed to the sun during the day.

Since the panels have been donated, their electricity costs have dropped by more than 30%. Moreover, Vahan emphasized that their reliance on nonrenewable energy has decreased as a result of the panels. “They have helped immensely, and we really thank ISOC for its support,” Vahan said, adding: “The solar panels are also drastically reducing the amount of electricity we obtain from nonrenewable sources.” And while they are only currently present at one of ARMIX’s three points of presence (PoPs), Vahan said ARMIX wants to expand the use of solar to the rest of their PoPs.

Vahan made one point clear: ARMIX wanted to set a good example of technology companies that help to change their physical environment. It also demonstrates the importance of an enabling policy environment and public-private partnerships to promote a cleaner, more sustainable environment. They are introducing the community to a new issue, in this case, sustainability, which Vahan considers a significant step forward.

When I spoke to Vahan, his colleague Hovhannes Alexanyan – the commercial director of ARPINET, a local Internet service provider (ISP) and member of ARMIX – joined. Hovhannes said the Municipality of Ejmiatsin, the spiritual capital of Armenia, installed LED lighting around the city, and is on track to get its investment back within a year. He stressed this program was implemented partly due to ARPINET’s success with solar power and energy savings, which served as its inspiration.

ARMIX’s success has not gone unnoticed, either. ARMIX is setting a good example for other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries in terms of promoting green energy and green infrastructure, along with the policies, strategy, regulation, and legislation to support it. Vahan said they are planning to host Kyrgyz colleagues that they met at an ISOC-sponsored IXP workshop, which was held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in December 2016, to show them how they operate the IXP after they expressed interest.

Such collaboration and the success ARMIX has experienced represent a positive affirmation of why we do the work we do. And, of course, when his Kyrgyz colleagues arrive to visit, the solar panels will have a front-and-center position.

How do we create a more secure and trusted Internet within the multistakeholder model of Internet governance? That will be among the many questions addressed this week at the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) in Tallinn, Estonia. From June 5-7, we will have an Internet Society team on site participating in many sessions. Our […]

How do we create a more secure and trusted Internet within the multistakeholder model of Internet governance? That will be among the many questions addressed this week at the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) in Tallinn, Estonia. From June 5-7, we will have an Internet Society team on site participating in many sessions. Our EuroDIG 2017 page has all the details – including links to live video streams – but at a high level here are some of the workshops we are participating in:

In April 2017, the Internet Society (ISOC) and GÉANT signed a partnership agreement – in the framework of the CAREN3 project – to promote Internet Exchange Points (IXP) in Central Asia with a focus on Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The CAREN3 project supports regional Internet connectivity of National Research and Education Networks (NREN) in Central Asia […]

In April 2017, the Internet Society (ISOC) and GÉANT signed a partnership agreement – in the framework of the CAREN3 project – to promote Internet Exchange Points (IXP) in Central Asia with a focus on Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The CAREN3 project supports regional Internet connectivity of National Research and Education Networks (NREN) in Central Asia and is principally funded by the European Union (EU).

Last week, in the framework of the ISOC-GÉANT partnership, the Internet Society organized a regional panel discussion and a workshop with the Kyrgyz Internet community on IXP development during the CAREN Regional Networking Conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Over the past years, various studies have shown that an increase in Internet penetration can positively impact growth, employment and commerce. The Kyrgyz government published recently a ‘Smart Nation’ strategy, known as Taza Koom, indicating that the highest levels of political leadership are ready to pursue the promise of digital technologies. However, digital solutions require a strong infrastructure to rely on. The objective of the two sessions was to highlight the role of IXPs as a lever for Internet connectivity and content, and to expand the Internet Society’s stakeholder outreach in this area.

While protectionist mindsets and regulatory challenges still exist, the Internet connectivity and interconnection environment has evolved since the ISOC’s study on Kyrgyzstan in 2015. The Kyrgyz Association of Telecommunications Operators, who run the existing IXP, are in the process of reviewing their policies and practices vis-à-vis openness and neutrality. In parallel, it appears that the region is slowly opening up in terms of cross-border connectivity. Openness, neutrality and transparent regulatory regime are key factors in order to increase Internet traffic and attract global content in Central Asia.

IXPs are only one component of the local Internet eco-system, but setting up one requires a wide range of stakeholders to participate and collaborate. Our IXP workshop brought together network operators, government agencies, business representatives, and various civil society organisations. The World Bank Group have included IXPs in the scope of their Digital CASA project, which addresses Internet development in Central Asia. Furthermore, the opportunity to get involved with the CAREN Regional Networking Conference extended our outreach the NRENs, who often play a role of a neutral partner in IXPs. It truly looks like Internet and IXP development is gaining momentum in Kyrgyzstan and in the wider region!

From a European perspective, I am also encouraged to see that the EU and its Member States are moving towards a greater focus on ‘digital’ in their development policy and funding, and that partnerships are part of the implementation strategy. In November 2016, the European Council adopted conclusions on mainstreaming digital solutions and technologies in EU development policy. These conclusions call for digitalization to be mainstreamed across all policy areas, while in parallel addressing cyber challenges and issues with human rights. Hopefully, partnerships and collaboration with different regional actors will continue to grow, as this can help streamline and accelerate the multiple Internet development efforts in Central Asia and beyond.

On 7 April, the Russian Internet Governance Forum (RIGF) took place in the new city of Innopolis, near Kazan. My main takeaways from this 8th RIGF converge around three themes: digital economy, trust and the next generation of Internet aficionados. Very much in line with the discussions between the G20 leaders in Germany last week, one of the […]

Very much in line with the discussions between the G20 leaders in Germany last week, one of the key messages at RIGF was the importance of digital economy to Russia and its citizens. In his keynote address, Sergey Plugotarenko, Director of Russian Association for Electronic Communications (RAEC), emphasized the importance of the Internet to the Russian economy. RAEC estimates that the Russian Internet sector (RUNET) made up 2,4% of the Russian GDP in 2015 and 19% of GDP when including other sectors relying on the Internet. Despite the challenging economic circumstances in Russia, Plugotarenko noted that the Internet sector is still growing and that the Internet enabled digital economy is a “force for good”. The Internet has obviously delivered on the promise of economic opportunities.

However, there has been a shift in the regulatory environment in Russia since the early days of the Internet towards more restrictive policies, largely explained by concerns about national security. This evolution is not unique to Russia – we have seen similar developments in many parts of the world. In order to ensure a prosperous digital economy, we must address the concerns about Internet security. As Kathy Brown stated in her message from the G20 meeting: “The digital economy will only continue to thrive and generate opportunities for citizens if the Internet is strong, secure, and trusted”.

The cybersecurity session at this RIGF focused on the current landscape of global cyberattacks and on whether it is possible to attribute them to any specific party. While attempting to bring culprits to justice is important, we must make sure that organisations and individual users deploy available tools and practices to prevent and mitigate attacks. Using tools such as encryption will reinforce trust in the digital economy and other Internet services. In the longer term, stakeholders share a collective responsibility to secure the Internet ecosystem and increased cooperation at global level is necessary.

Finally, why in Innopolis? Innopolis is a purpose-built city for high-tech businesses, innovators and students – a showcase of the opportunities provided by the Internet. The Russian Internet community is making great efforts to get the youth engaged in the policy and technical discussions regarding the future of the Internet. As part of the ‘IP&IT Law competition’, held by ccTLD.ru and the IP Club, a number of students were awarded for their policy research projects in areas such as online licensing and blockchain regulation. It was truly motivating to have the young Internet enthusiasts present in the discussions – the future of the digital economy and security is in good hands.

Disclaimer: Viewpoints expressed in this post are those of the author and may or may not reflect official Internet Society positions.

The European Union today faces some serious challenges including growing levels of populism and the threat of foreign intervention through cyber-attacks. Last year’s alleged Russian-led cyberattacks on US Democratic Party servers as well as Chinese government cyber espionage against other governments and companies have provided worrying precedents. Although it is hard to measure the actual […]

The European Union today faces some serious challenges including growing levels of populism and the threat of foreign intervention through cyber-attacks. Last year’s alleged Russian-led cyberattacks on US Democratic Party servers as well as Chinese government cyber espionage against other governments and companies have provided worrying precedents. Although it is hard to measure the actual impact these attacks had on the election results in the US, concerns are growing amongst European leaders that their electoral procedures are vulnerable to manipulation.

With elections rapidly approaching in three EU Member States (The Netherlands on 15 March, France on 23 April, and Germany in late September), these vulnerabilities are of immediate concern. Populist parties such as the Dutch Party of Freedom (Partij voor de Vrijheid), the French Front National, and the Alternative for Germany (Alternative für Deutschland) are already unsettling the political system, this new cyber threat presents an additional element of uncertainty and creates further risk of political instability.

The European Agency for Network and Information Security has urged politicians to take cybersecurity seriously, starting by encrypting their communications. National governments have started to respond. In February, the Dutch government decided to count all votes cast in the national election manually to avoid manipulation. French President Hollande, meanwhile, recently acknowledged that hacking was a major threat in light of the upcoming elections and organized a Defense Council on 23 February to discuss possible ways forward. Likewise, Germany is preparing for hacks throughout the election year, and put the issue forward for discussions between interior and defense ministers from a range of nations at the Munich Security Council 2017.

At this same Council, Andrus Ansip, the European Commission’s Vice-President responsible for the Digital Single Market, emphasised the global threat of cybercrime and the risks it poses for democratic processes. In his opinion, close coordination between governments, law enforcement, industry and NGOs, and a solid commitment to research and investment in cybersecurity are key to heading off this threat. Julian King, the EU’s Commissioner for Security, has likewise urged the EU and its Member States to shore up their defenses in the face of the mounting danger. It has become clear that the Commission sees cybersecurity as a political priority.

At European level, the launch of a cybersecurity public-private partnership as well as the implementation of the NIS Directive are concrete measures being taken. However, a more systematic approach is needed, which motivated the Commission’s plan to review the EU’s cybersecurity strategy this year. The early indications are that this strategy will include a focus on tackling cybercrime and working with partners around the globe.

While these are important elements of a response to the cyber threat, including in the political realm, we hope to also see a recognition of the fact that, as we have argued before, cybersecurity is a shared responsibility.

Ensuring that any cybersecurity framework starts with an understanding of the fundamental properties of the Internet and an appreciation of the complexity of the cybersecurity landscape is the critical part of an effective response – and a multistakeholder cross-border collaboration is an essential component of it. We must all work with policy makers in our region to make sure this happens.

The digitalization of human activities, from social interactions to industrial processes, has led to unprecedented levels of data collection. New data is constantly being produced, driven by the rise of user-generated content, the digitalization of industries and services, and the improvement of both machine to machine communication and data storage. As recognized in the Commission’s […]

The digitalization of human activities, from social interactions to industrial processes, has led to unprecedented levels of data collection. New data is constantly being produced, driven by the rise of user-generated content, the digitalization of industries and services, and the improvement of both machine to machine communication and data storage. As recognized in the Commission’s Communication “Towards a data-driven economy”, this trend “holds enormous potential in various fields, ranging from health, food security, energy efficiency to intelligent transport systems and smart cities”. Indeed, data has become an essential resource for societal improvement.

However, despite the obvious benefits of the digital age, there is a growing tendency towards data nationalism and digital border-checks. Several governments have sought to restrict or control the flow of data by introducing a greater number of data localization requirements. A recent study by the Brussels-based European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE) shows that over five times as many requirements are in place now compared to 2000.

Data analytics can be disruptive, and the risk of abuse is well-known, partly justifying the impulse to control these flows. But an adequate balance needs to be found. As we have said before, data access can only be meaningful if users can trust that their fundamental rights are protected. Indeed, if rules on privacy and security are effective (e.g., GDPR, NIS Directive), there is no reason to keep unnecessary restrictions on the flow of data.

A few European countries, namely France and (until recently) Germany, have fought hard to keep these barriers in place. What they have failed to account for with their digital protectionism, however, is the likelihood that these restrictions will backfire, leading to losses in productivity and the competitiveness of their economy, without achieving any of the intended objectives.

At a time when the European economy is moving on from its traditional model and becoming progressively more digitalized and data-driven, the economic gains to be achieved by removing these obstacles are impressive, representing around 52 billion EUR per year (0.37% of the EU’s GDP) according to ECIPE’s study.

The communication does promote free movement of data, but its impact is much more limited that an actual legislative tool, as it represents no more than a non-binding declaration of intentions. Moreover, it seems that consensus around this issue is also faltering, with new alternative methods to reduce barriers being suggested. One such idea floating around the upper levels of the Berlaymont is to instead rely on infringement procedures against Member States which disproportionally limit Single Market freedoms.

But such methods take a long time, and hardly ever create the necessary conditions of certainty and precedent which would enable us to enjoy the level of data flows we want and need. The European Commission needs to stand firm against digital protectionism, or risks perpetuating our current position, to the edge of the podium.

]]>3859https://www.internetsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/4588122112_27a69c2634_o-1.jpgTurning best practice into capacity building for community networks developmenthttps://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2017/01/turning-best-practice-into-capacity-building-for-community-networks-development/
Sat, 14 Jan 2017 00:00:00 +0000http://dev.internetsociety.org/uncategorized/2017/01/turning-best-practice-into-capacity-building-for-community-networks-development/

Image: net4all team from left to right: Roger Pueyo, Laia Sucarrats, Roger Baig, Ramon Roca and Leandro Navarro. Beyond the Net Journal: Spain Catalonia Chapter #1 Episode The purpose of net4all – Net for All – is to develop a set of capacity building materials for training people in the different aspects of development and sustainability in […]

Beyond the Net Journal: Spain Catalonia Chapter #1 Episode

The purpose of net4all – Net for All – is to develop a set of capacity building materials for training people in the different aspects of development and sustainability in community networking infrastructures using technologies such as wifi and fibre. Particular attention will be focused on the needs of under-served communities and developing regions.

While producing these materials, net4all will benefit from the ten years experience of Guifi.net , a free and neutral crowdsourced network based on a commons model, currently accounting for more than 30.000 working nodes. In 2015, Guifi received the European Commission Broadband Award for its innovative model of financing business and investment.

I asked Roger Baig, computer science engineer and net4all researcher, to help us understand how they are capturing the “lesson learned” by a local project to enhance the community networks of the future Internet.

Which solutions will the project provide and how will they be implemented?

The innovative aspect of this proposal is using the international knowledge gathered by Guifi.net to deliver a comprehensive capacity building kit. net4all is following an incremental and iterative methodology, combining the production phases with on-site seminars. In the seminars, we will present the outcomes of the production phases to date and gather input for the following ones. The training materials will be shared publicly, allowing others to learn from our process of building infrastructure, and creating the right conditions to make them self-sustainable.

The project, coordinated by the Internet Society Catalonia Chapter, is divided in two one-year phases. The first phase, which is currently funded by Beyond the Net, comprises:

Second round of materials development taken from the seminar experience.

What motivated your Chapter to take this initiative?

We feel it’s important to review what Guifi.net has done, and collaborate with a successful local initiative. Through this exercise, we expect to identify the success factors and to share them afterwards, but also to explore new challenges and opportunities for the future. The ultimate goal of net4all is to contribute to the replicability of a successful project.

How is this project a great opportunity?

The support of Internet Society allows us to promote the Guifi.net experience worldwide. Community networks empower people to extend the Internet and they can play a key role in reducing the digital divide. Success stories such as Guifi.net demonstrate they can be sustainable and compete on prices and services with the traditional telecoms, as well as positively effecting the local labor market and users’ sovereignty.

How will the project contribute to Internet Society’s mission?

The Internet Society’s mission is to “to promote the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet for the benefit of all people throughout the world”. Community networks are an emerging model for extending the Internet outside the dominant market logic which has led to the current digital exclusion. Proper documentation of success stories like guifi.net is a key element in enabling people to successfully undertake their own projects.

How can people engage with your Chapter and learn more about the project?

Share this story

If you like this story, please share it with your friends. That would tremendously help in spreading the word and raising the visibility of this project. Help more people understand how the Internet can change lives.

We are interested in your project

We are looking for new ideas from people all over the world on how to make your community better using the Internet. Internet Society “Beyond the Net Funding Programme” funds projects up to $ 30.000 USD.

The UK’s Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, has been in post just under four months, but already the differences between her approach and those of her two most recent predecessors (Richard Thomas and Christopher Graham) are starting to become clear. This may be due partly to the fact that she comes to the role with six […]

The UK’s Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, has been in post just under four months, but already the differences between her approach and those of her two most recent predecessors (Richard Thomas and Christopher Graham) are starting to become clear. This may be due partly to the fact that she comes to the role with six years’ experience as the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia, whereas Thomas and Graham came, respectively, from legal practice and the BBC.

Recently, Denham posted an update on the first eight weeks of her team’s investigation into personal data sharing between WhatsApp and Facebook. The bottom line is this: she thinks consumers and their data are not being properly protected, and she offers the prospect of enforcement action if Facebook uses consumers’ data without consent. Here’s how she thinks Facebook is falling short of the legal requirements:

Subscribers are not properly protected, or properly informed about uses of data about them;

Facebook does not have valid consent for sharing personal data;

Users are not given sufficient control over data about them.

The Commissioner also highlights risk in a number of other areas:

“Free” services are not a licence for the service provider to do as they please with users’ data;

The tone of the Commissioner’s post is firm but understated. It focuses on basic steps: inform users, get meaningful consent, give users proper control, and be transparent about terms and conditions. The Commissioner’s concerns echo those expressed by the wider group of European information commissioners, the Article 29 Working Group. The head of that group, Isabelle Falcque-Pierrotin, has expressed its concern that, following WhatsApp’s acquisition by Facebook, personal data is being used for purposes that were not included in the terms users signed up to.

Some may point out that, in strict legal terms, consent is just one of a number of valid grounds for the processing of personal data. My personal view is that there is no need for equivocation here. I don’t care (and neither should consumers) if consent isn’t the only basis for legal processing: if the end result is not what I signed up for, and it increases privacy risk, I should be made aware of that and given the option to say no.

The Commissioner has set out her position, simply and clearly. It will be interesting to see what the next eight weeks bring.

The 7th edition of the Ukrainian Internet Governance Forum (UA-IGF) took place in Kiev on 14 October 2016. The event attracted some 150 participants despite the fact that October 14th is a public holiday in Ukraine. This year’s UA-IGF piloted a new interactive format with minimal slide shows, lively moderated discussions and an “open mic” for Q&A. This approach […]

The 7th edition of the Ukrainian Internet Governance Forum (UA-IGF) took place in Kiev on 14 October 2016. The event attracted some 150 participants despite the fact that October 14th is a public holiday in Ukraine.

This year’s UA-IGF piloted a new interactive format with minimal slide shows, lively moderated discussions and an “open mic” for Q&A. This approach worked well with the Ukrainian community – we witnessed some juicy debates and questions from the audience were abundant.

So what did the Ukrainian community debate about?

Role of Governments in Internet Governance

The underlying core question was: to what extent should governments intervene in Internet development through regulation, policy and also investment? While the Ukrainian Internet Association argued that government should be involved as little as possible, theNational Telecommunications Regulator emphasised the protection of Internet users.

Governments can, of course, make a huge positive impact, for instance, by promoting Internet access in their respective country. Specific areas of activity typically include strategic planning, regulatory reform and management of spectrum licences – all of these discussed at the UA-IGF.

It was also agreed that the government should play a role in the space of cybersecurity and data protection. However, the details on how to counter the complex issues of cybercrime and surveillance in a consistent manner are still being defined.

Rights and Freedoms Online

The much-debated balance between security and online freedoms is a concern also in Ukraine. Monica Horten representing the Council of Europe (CoE) discussed the role of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) holding the tools both for surveillance and for protection of correspondence. In parallel, she emphasised the judicial oversight of surveillance as stated in the CoE standards.

The local stakeholders defending online freedoms raised specific concerns regarding the recent trend of botnets and trolling used as part of political campaigns. These kinds of methods compromise the effectiveness of democratic processes and may hamper local Internet traffic.

Overall, most of the topics at the UA-IGF were familiar but crucial to the development of the Internet. Many topics were controversial, and yet the local stakeholders – government, business and civil society – agreed to discuss and disagree on these openly and in public. This is an important step towards common solutions and sustainable development of the Internet.

The second Georgian Internet Governance Forum (GEOIGF) took place in Tbilisi the first week of September. The two host organisations, the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) and the Internet Society Georgia Chapter, succeeded in bringing together a wide range of partners and supporters from government, private sector, technical community and civil society. One of the liveliest discussions took place […]

One of the liveliest discussions took place during the panel session on Internet access and the broadband gap. For the past couple of years, there has been a vibrant national debate about the level of Internet access in Georgia. According to the latest data by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU, 2016), 45% of Georgians have access to the Internet. This is less than in the neighbouring countries in the Caucasus – Internet penetration in Armenia stands at 58% and in Azerbaijan at 77%.

Our panel session at the GEOIGF had all the components one might hope for when discussing Internet access. A representative of the OpenNet initiative (under Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development) shared details about the plans to expand national Internet infrastructure and to develop a public-private partnership schemes for this purpose. The GNCC talked about the ongoing regulatory reform. The panellist from the World Bank outlined the Bank’s new programme GENIE, which focuses on support for innovation, skills training and other measures to boost demand for Internet services in Georgia. And finally, we learnt from a case study presenting the awarded RAIN broadband project in Lithuania.

Supply, demand generation, regulatory environment, and best practices – this is a solid set of measures to increase Internet access in any country. However, it is equally important to establish a clear strategy and a set of goals that all the stakeholders can agree on. How many people do we aim to connect over a certain number of years with the available resources? How do we reassure the private sector stakeholders that the planned interventions will not distort the market for Internet services?

A transparent and inclusive strategic planning process is critical to minimise uncertainty and to ensure sustainable results. As the Georgian government is increasingly harmonising its regulatory framework with the European Union (EU) rules, infrastructure sharing and open access will become part of the Internet services market landscape. Participants raised concerns about possible market distortions and erosion of the value of past investments. While these concerns are understandable, an increase of the number of users and growth of IP traffic through new bandwidth-hungry services will increase the total market size and typically offer more opportunities for everyone.

The Internet Society will contribute to Internet development in Georgia by supporting acommunity networking project in the remote region of Tusheti in partnership with Georgia ISOC chapter and a group of other local stakeholders. Based on the experience of many EU countries, a successful broadband strategy is often a combination of private sector led, governmental and community initiatives. The Georgian stakeholders will continue to discuss the national connectivity plan in the course of the coming months to define the way forward for their country.

In times when disintegration seems to be the word of the day, it is a pleasure to witness people coming together to build bridges and find common ground. The first Central Asian Internet Governance Forum (CAIGF) took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on 21-22 June gathering a significant group of local, regional and international stakeholders. Central […]

In times when disintegration seems to be the word of the day, it is a pleasure to witness people coming together to build bridges and find common ground. The first Central Asian Internet Governance Forum (CAIGF) took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on 21-22 June gathering a significant group of local, regional and international stakeholders.

The issues raised during the conference were very much in line with the priorities of many global Internet stakeholders today.

Internet access is still a challenge especially in remote and rural areas. According to International Telecommunications Union data (ITU, 2014), Internet penetration in Central Asia ranges from 12% in Turkmenistan to 55% in Kazakhstan. Even though these numbers are likely to be higher now, several challenges persist in this largely land-locked region. Options for international connectivity are limited and demand for Internet access is curbed by prices, low levels of digital literacy and lack of local content. The Internet Society shared experiences and good practices from other parts of the world in the areas of traffic exchange and wireless connectivity.

Internet security and resilience are on top of the Internet agenda in Central Asia as in many other regions. The countries in the regions do not yet have comprehensive national cybersecurity strategies or critical infrastructure protection schemes, and CAIGF provided a platform to exchange ideas and listen to experts. Much like in Europe, privacy and other rights are a central part of the discussion about planned and actual measures for national and cybersecurity in Central Asia. While we may not yet have all the answers on how to secure our Internet environment, the first step is to break the “security tabu” and discuss the issues at stake openly with all relevant stakeholders.

Our hosts and event partners went to great lengths to make this first CAIGF a successful event. The CAIGF offered us an opportunity to better understand the hopes and concerns of the Central Asian stakeholders.

As a next step, we would like to encourage the participation of Central Asian stakeholders in the global Internet fora such as the global Internet Governance Forum (IGF). It is important that all the corners of the world are represented and heard as part of the global discussions on the Internet!

Over the next two days (9-10 June), the European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) takes place in Brussels, Belgium. With a theme of “Embracing the digital (r)evolution“, EuroDIG has a full agenda and Internet Society staff will be participating in many aspects of the programme. For us, the highlight will be at 11:30 CEST on Thursday, […]

For us, the highlight will be at 11:30 CEST on Thursday, June 9, when our President and CEO Kathy Brown opens the first Plenary with a keynote speech. She plans to speak about how we can use our Collaborative Security approach to build trust in the Internet. (Read her blog post for a preview of her session tomorrow.) Our Regional Bureau Director for Europe, Frédéric Donck, will be moderating that Plenary session and after her speech he will have a series of questions for Kathy and the other outstanding panelists. After a lunch, Frédéric will moderate a new session continuing this discussion and involving audience members.

Our EuroDIG event page has the links to more details about all our sessions, including the live stream links, but here is a quick overview.

In the afternoon on Thursday, at the same time that Frédéric is continuing the Plenary session discussion, Tommi Karttaavi, our Chapter Development Manager for Europe, will be a panelist in a session that, as someone involved with communications, I am personally looking forward to. Revisiting the idea that “Content is the king”, the session will explore the changing roles of media, search engines, business models and more. It will dive into the role of media as gatekeepers and the challenging questions around hate speech and the appropriate policies around content issues.

On Friday, we will have three simultaneous tracks with Internet Society participation.

Frédéric will be moderating two panels discussing the whole topic of “Zero Rating” – what is it? and what impact does it have? He has excellent panelists to dive deep into these topics and our colleague Konstantinos Komaitis will assist him as the session reporter.

Meanwhile, our Chief Internet Technology Office (CITO) Olaf Kolkman will be in a nearby room moderating two sessions about cybersecurity. In one session, his panel will be discussing whether security best practices are really the best approach and discussing the ideas around Collaborative Security. In the second session, the topic will be “the future of cybersecurity in Europe.” Maarit Palovirta, our Manager for European Regional Affairs, will be one of the panelists in that session.

Finally, in the 11:30-13:00 morning session Tommi will be a panelist in a session discussing the European Internet governance ecosystem and how it can be strengthened through existing initiatives and potential new ideas.

Beyond those sessions we’ll be actively engaged in discussions around improving Internet access, the Internet of Things (IoT), human rights and many other policy topics. Please watch our EuroDIG event page and follow us on social media.

I look forward to another exciting EuroDIG and invite you all to join us in this dialogue. Together we can shape the future of the Internet!

P.S. Due to a scheduling conflict, I am not attending EuroDIG in person. But thanks to the amazing opportunities provided by the Internet, I will be joining in using the different remote participation methods.

RIPE — the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre – is one of the five regional Internet registries that allocates Internet numbering resources that help the Internet run. We’ll be moderating a panel that brings together people from RIPE’s Middle East, Eurasia, and South Eastern European regions. On its own this sounds like a lot […]

RIPE — the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre – is one of the five regional Internet registries that allocates Internet numbering resources that help the Internet run.

We’ll be moderating a panel that brings together people from RIPE’s Middle East, Eurasia, and South Eastern European regions.

On its own this sounds like a lot of other panels at a lot of other events.

But this one, at least for me, is something special.

It will bring together people from very different RIPE regional communities. They come together at this important convening event of the full RIPE community to build bridges with each other and across RIPE.

ISOC partners with RIPE colleagues throughout the year to help plan and coordinate meetings, to speak on key regional Internet issues or to lend technical assistance, or to find ways to measure Internet traffic together so that people can see the growth of the Internet in an understandable and simple way. Together we build bridges that connect people, communities, countries, and regions.

Connecting the next billion comes down to a lot of things. It comes down to development, policy, technology, and often times navigating some difficult landscapes – both literally and figuratively. But, it really relies on building and bridging communities to work together. And, ultimately it comes down to people. People who are dedicated to building the Internet, visualizing the Internet, and training people to train each other for sustainable Internet infrastructure development.

We overcome barriers together – barriers that include things like landscapes, policies, lack of trained people, and lack of infrastructure.

And – while it would be easy to get lost in the details or overwhelmed by some of the challenges – we work through and solve problems together to amplify the work our teams are doing.

The key thing about this panel is that it brings together people who live in very different countries, and highlights their community within a community that helps to develop the Internet through local solutions that are bridged by shared technical solutions.

They will share ideas about what has worked in their regions, and – more importantly – what did not.

By sharing local solutions they build bridges with the entire RIPE community and the broader Internet community.

Technology is a common demoninator across regions, but there’s more to building the Internet than technology. Like most things that work well, it takes people working together.

You can do this too. We’ll be LiveStreaming the panel and you’ll be able to join online, chat, and build connections.

Members from 22 European Internet Society Chapters in 20 countries gathered in Madrid on April 14, 2016 to discuss current public policy issues that affect the Internet. The meeting attendees were welcomed by Frédéric Donck, the Director of Internet Society’s European Bureau, who emphasized the importance of Chapters working together to address these issues. The […]

Members from 22 European Internet Society Chapters in 20 countries gathered in Madrid on April 14, 2016 to discuss current public policy issues that affect the Internet. The meeting attendees were welcomed by Frédéric Donck, the Director of Internet Society’s European Bureau, who emphasized the importance of Chapters working together to address these issues. The countries represented in the meeting were Armenia, Finland, France, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and UK, so there was a wide range of different geographic locations as well as political systems represented.

The first part of the day was dedicated to sharing experiences in advocacy work. The Chapters in various countries have different ways of approaching public policy issues and the political systems and climates vary from country to country, thus there is no one-size-fits-all way of impacting policy. Going round the table we discovered that there are a lot of different ways to make the voice of the chapters heard by the policy makers but at the same time certain repeating patterns emerged.

From the case studies that the chapters shared, four approaches to advocacy work could be distinguished. One of them is awareness building, or educating and informing the public and the decision makers. This includes among other things organising events, writing op-ed articles and publishing position papers. Second one is activism, which may take different forms and is a little harder to define. An example of this is the Swiss chapter collecting signatures to force a surveillance law into referendum. Third, there is consultation, which basically means giving a formal opinion when asked. In many countries governments organise public consultation rounds when laws are prepared. Finally there is cooperation, in which chapter actively engages with the policy makers and tries to impact the legislation or regulation by offering expertise and participating in the process. Together these different approaches form a kind of a toolbox to choose from, depending on the circumstances.

The rest of the day was used to address two specific policy issues that are timely and affect multiple countries in Europe, encryption and content filtering. The topics were picked from the 2015 Internet Policy Timeline project in which European chapters identified emerging policy issues that need attention.

Strong encryption and secure internet connections are something that we take more or less for granted. However, there is a growing demand among various national security and intelligence agencies to compromise encryption in the interest of national security. With the recent terrorist attacks in Europe this is beginning to show in the form of political pressure as well.

A case in point: In the UK, there is currently a heated conversation regarding the interrelation between the government and the use of technology communication tools that use encryption software tools. The UK is not alone, political discussions, or even legislation initiatives, are already going on in several other countries. It was agreed that the European ISOC chapters together with Internet Society staff should collaborate and coordinate their advocacy work on this issue. While terrorists and criminals can make use of secure connections it does not justify banning encryption for everyone or compromising personal or business communications by having mandatory back doors in software.

Content filtering and blocking as a form of censorship was also discussed. While filtering is something that is usually thought of as something that countries like China or Saudi Arabia do, surprisingly many European countries (most actually) are implementing or planning to implement it. The filtered content varies, among them are copyright infringements, gambling, child porn, drugs or suicide related information and extremist content. Turkey was identified as one of the countries that presents the most challenges with regards to the way the government is using filtering to restrict information in the internet. Indeed the legislation there provides the authorities with a wide range of tools to censor online content, including blocking, filtering and taking down content. Even services like YouTube or Twitter have been banned in Turkey for short periods of time.

While the rationale behind these attempts to censor online content can be based on legitimate concerns, filtering is not a solution, as argued in an Internet Society position paper.

The discussions in the meeting were lively and there was much enthusiasm among the participants to carry on the work. The next steps after the meeting will be to follow up on these topics together with the ISOC staff and chapters and also to keep on eye on other emerging policy issues. There is work to be done, fortunately it seems that we have the collective know-how and resources to do it.

Beyond the Net Journal: Armenia Chapter #2 Episode A conversation with the manager of the “Culture House of the Blinds” unravels the mystery of the chess game, seen as the golden key that opens any door. Thankfully the Internet boosted the chess virus at a point that the benefits are within everybody’s reach. In the previous […]

Beyond the Net Journal: Armenia Chapter #2 Episode

A conversation with the manager of the “Culture House of the Blinds” unravels the mystery of the chess game, seen as the golden key that opens any door. Thankfully the Internet boosted the chess virus at a point that the benefits are within everybody’s reach.

Оn March 14th, the first recording took place at the Internet Radio located in the Culture House of the Blinds. Yura Avetisyan, their visually impaired director, talked about chess game and its role in the lives of people with different abilities.

I had the opportunity to interview Yura Avetisyan and I found out he is one of the best chess players in his country with a national rating of 2.475. In this interview, he explains how the chess game changed his life helping to overcome disability and training his memory to the point that he can memorize 200.000 pages of poetry. He discusses how the Internet boosted this game so that its incredible powers are now available to a global audience.

Q: “Yura, you are a talented poet, a fine musician and also a master of blind chess. Every day you offer your talents to the community to help others. Many of them feel blindness as being in prison; they play a game against themselves. Chess positively impacts on mental and social development. How can this game persuade visually impaired people that they are talented enough to be everything they want?”

A: “This is a philosophical question and if we manage to respond it will be useful for many people. Chess is one of the most ancient games in the history. It’s a master of life, especially for invalids and visually impaired. The chess teaches you to find the best outcome in critical situations. It can give you everything you need in real life. The chess is the golden key that allows you to open any door. My visual problems started late, and I had never supposed that chess would play such a crucial role in my life. When I lost my sight, I was concentrated on the difficulties, and I couldn’t even imagine how to study, to work, to live a normal life. But one day a blind person approached me and said “Brother, don’t hide your disability, be natural. I am blind, and I want to show you where I am working. You will regain your lost confidence there.” I followed him and met blinds and other disabled people, footless, armless… they were playing chess and music. At this point, I told myself I had to come out of my pessimistic state. I joined their team, and little by little the chess brought me out of the darkness. I became a grandmaster of chess, I graduated with honors from the University and created my family. I can play 13 musical instruments. Today I manage the Culture House of the Blinds, where I share my experience to help people breaking the barrier of their disability. Some of my chess students have really good ratings and titles of international masters.”

Q:”The digital revolution has affected this 1.500 years old game in several ways. Chess playing software is helping people to become stronger players faster. But unlike video games, where real life actions are involved, chess is the same online as over the board. So how is the game evolving thanks to the Internet, and how is it opening new opportunities?”

A: “The Internet is a fantastic thing for chess. It is allowing lots of people to get into it in a way they would have never imagined. Before Armenia became independent, the game was isolated in community centers, church halls, and newspapers back pages. Now all the treasures of chess are stored into a computer, and you can play online with or without a partner. You can teach using Skype, both individually and in groups… at any level. As a chess trainer, I think the game should be taught showing people that it’s not only theory but tightly linked with real life. I want my students to love chess, to understand its benefits and to take advantage of them. The Internet makes it easier. We have the whole world at our fingertips; I like this feeling.”

Q: “Talking about the hidden secrets of this intellectual game, I think you are the best person to answer this question: can blind chess be learned or is it a natural skill? Sighted people call it blindfold chess.”

A: “I can also play the blind chess, and this kind of game differs completely from the visual one. It’s a skill everybody can learn with a lot of practice. Having always a clear vision of the board and properly update the overall position on the board after every move is a strong memory work! This allowed me to train my brain into storing a huge amount of information to a point that I was able to memorize 200.000 pages of poetry from antique to contemporary times. For this reason, I was invited to participate to “Hidden talents” a TV show. When they started reading random pages from Byron, Ronsard, Pushkin, Anacreon, Lamartine, Chénier, Goethe and many others. I could follow up declaiming the rest of the poem. It was a skill given to me by chess.”

Q: “Alfred Binet, the French psychologist, discovered that people who can play blindfold chess are not seeing in their mind a photographic representation of the position, but are relying on their abstract understanding of the patterns of how pieces move and control the board. According to neuroscientists, playing chess may alter the structure of the brain. It’s like a superglue holding chunks of information. Chess has also shown to yield some cognitive benefits in children and elderly alike.

A:”Yes we are living in incredible times! Neuroscientific research is contributing to the understanding of the brain and helping us to improve our learning. On the other hand, the Internet is giving us the access to all information. This can lead to so many benefits. And think about how much chess can give to us. I can’t imagine my life without chess. I couldn’t achieve anything or write wise and profound verses without chess. Without the knowledge of chess secrets, I couldn’t be a musician and understand music. This game is a golden key that opens multiple closed doors and help you reach everything behind. This is the role of chess in my life, and I’m sure it can be a master of life for any person.”

Share this story

If you like this story, please share it with your friends. That would tremendously help in spreading the word and raising the visibility of this project. Help more people understand how the Internet can change lives.

Do you have a great idea? We are interested in your project.

We are looking for new ideas from people all over the world on how to make your community better using the Internet. Internet Society “Beyond the Net Funding Programme” funds projects up to $ 30.000 USD.

This year’s Russian Internet Governance Forum (RIGF) that took place on 7 April in Moscow offered something old, something new, and well, something borrowed. The high-level messages from the Russian government representatives made it clear that the Internet is a strategic platform for the country’s economic and social development. The representative of the Ministry of […]

The high-level messages from the Russian government representatives made it clear that the Internet is a strategic platform for the country’s economic and social development. The representative of the Ministry of Telecommunications and Mass Media quoted impressive numbers reflecting the increasing importance of the Internet to the Russian economy. In 2015, the size of the Internet economy increased from 750 million RUR to 1 billion RUR, and the number of jobs related to the Internet increased from 1,2 million to 2 million. In parallel, it was recognised that the Internet enables democratic processes, social life, and equal access to information and services.

The hot topic on everyone’s lips was security. I had a pleasure to participate on a panel discussion on Internet infrastructure resilience and critical infrastructure protection. The Russian government is currently working on an Internet security strategy or doctrine, which served as an interesting backdrop to the discussion. Some of the key issues raised concerned the definition of critical infrastructures and the lack of funding in Russia for improving the Internet infrastructure resiliency. Many parallels were drawn and comparisons made between the plans and practices related to critical infrastructure protection in Russia and the European Union.

What was new in this year’s RIGF was the presence of the youth. Ludmila Bokova raised online culture and behaviour as an important aspect of Internet governance at national level. A new campaign to raise awareness amongst Russian high-school students in this regard has been launched with support of the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ (CcTLD.RU). Furthermore, four students were awarded at RIGF for their research projects on Internet policy topics. The projects included analysis of “Legal Aspects of Pressing the ‘Like’ Button” and “Right to Be Forgotten”. Clearly, the Russian youth are following their time.

Finally, Moscow calling… can you hear us Buenos Aires? The technical community in Latin America have been attending Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) meetings through remote hubs for a while already. As the IETF 95 meeting in Buenos Aires took place at the same time with the RIGF, this was a perfect opportunity to pilot remote hubs in Russia. The CcTLD.RU took a lead in organizing the hubs for the technical sessions at their premises, and in addition, we connected with colleagues in Buenos Aires live through video during RIGF. Dan York, Jari Arkko and regular participants from the Russian technical community talked about the work at the IETF and its relevance to Internet development at national level. (A video recording of the session is available.)

Russia has a strong and dynamic Internet community – a real asset to the country. The RIGF provides an open platform for the Internet stakeholders to get together to reflect on both national and international issues linked to the Internet in a transparent manner. It is the right venue to celebrate the successes and opportunities brought on by the Internet, and to debate some of the perceived threats and uncertainties. Long may this tradition continue!

]]>4502https://www.internetsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/moscow-flickr-39997856-N03-1024.jpgConnecting with the Community in Tajikistanhttps://www.internetsociety.org/blog/2016/03/connecting-with-the-community-in-tajikistan/
Sun, 13 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000http://dev.internetsociety.org/uncategorized/2016/03/connecting-with-the-community-in-tajikistan/The 2nd Central Asia Internet Symposium organised by the European Regional Bureau of the Internet Society took place on 2 March in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The discussion was focused on how to increase the Internet penetration in Tajikistan from the current level of just under 20%[1]. A lively, at times heated debate continued between the speakers […]

]]>The 2nd Central Asia Internet Symposium organised by the European Regional Bureau of the Internet Society took place on 2 March in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The discussion was focused on how to increase the Internet penetration in Tajikistan from the current level of just under 20%[1].

A lively, at times heated debate continued between the speakers and the audience throughout the day addressing the opportunities and challenges related to connectivity and access:

Getting Connected

Given that Tajikistan is a land-locked country, international connectivity is key to reduce price and improve quality. International organisations such as the World Bank group and the European Commission are active in Central Asia supporting regional connectivity through specific projects, namely Digital CASA and CAREN. Tajikistan was the first country in Central Asia to deploy 4G in 2012, and mobile Internet is likely to continue as the “technology of choice” due to price and difficult terrain. A representative from a local mobile operator made a poignant remark emphasising that a laissez-faire commercial approach should be the greatest accelerator of connectivity in the domestic market, but at the moment the regulatory environment can be a slowing factor.

Getting People Online

Many Tajik Internet users benefit from the available online sources and services in Russian, but local content in Tajik language is lagging far behind. However, the presentations of several speakers demonstrated the innovative mind-set of the local Internet community. One motivator is the economic opportunity. A young entrepreneur concluded that despite the sometimes challenging regulatory environment, it is still worth his while being a web entrepreneur in Tajikistan – the market is growing fast and the competition is still relatively low. Second, people look for opportunities to facilitate their everyday life. The Tajik e-government programme and bottom-up initiative called the TajikMama are good examples of socially engaging online content.

Getting Results

Many stakeholders, both international and local, make significant efforts to accelerate Internet development in Tajikistan and the wider region. While this is positive, a representative from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) asked a critical question during our session: who will do the follow-up and make it happen after this event? Indeed, the global and regional (Internet) development community can inject ideas, expertise and even funding, but this is not enough to introduce sustainable progress. The local stakeholders – government, businesses and civil society – will have to take the lead in implementing change. ISOC prides itself on bringing people together and building communities, and I believe we succeeded in doing exactly that in Dushanbe.

Beyond the Net Journal: Armenia Chapter #1 Episode In this episode you will learn the story of people who lost their physical vision but never lost their vision of life. What is a typical day at the Culture House of the Blinds and Visually Impaired in Yerevan? It is hard to figure out what being visually impaired […]

Beyond the Net Journal: Armenia Chapter #1 Episode

In this episode you will learn the story of people who lost their physical vision but never lost their vision of life.

What is a typical day at the Culture House of the Blinds and Visually Impaired in Yerevan? It is hard to figure out what being visually impaired really means. The people working here seem to have a special formula, they draw fully from an inner source forcing them to live out of the ordinary. They offer their talents to the community helping people to overcome disability barriers. Some of them are inspirational ones like Albert Musheghyan and Yura Avetisyan. They have been friends for over 40 years, both lost their vision when they were very young, but the vibrancy of their lives seemed to brighten up as the world became darker. The two friends sadly recall the hard times during the decline of the Soviet Union, when the support system they long had counted on was no longer in place. The Culture House of the Blinds fell into decay, the theatre drew the curtain on cultural activity, and only empty rooms with faint echoes of a past remained.

When Armenia declared independence on September 1991, the Internet access was finally available. Relief brought a smile on their lips as they welcomed the new opportunity to help people feeling part of the world again. The Internet urged the Yerevan’s community members to be even braver so that in 2012, with the help of Igor Mkrtumyan and Armen Nazaryan (ISOC AM president and vice-president), they submitted an application to former “Internet Society Community Grants Programme” to create an Internet Availability Center at the Culture House Of the Blinds.

The implementation of this project brought several benefits:

The installation of a fully equipped Internet center for the blind

People started attending the Culture House again

Open access to information is provided

Opportunity is given to communicate with other Armenians around the world

Social isolation and loneliness are prevented

Specially designed teaching methods to easy learning are offered

The seed of a new dream has been planted …

Thanks to the Internet availability today young people can gather at the center after school and learn to use the computer through a voice recorder. Trainers offer support with specially designed computer literacy courses. Even Albert Musheghyan, the 85 years old doctor in Philology, uses the Internet with a Braille keyboard for his researches while correcting inaccuracies in Armenian history.

Within the framework of the grant, ISOC AM also developed a rehabilitation proposal for The Culture House of the Blinds that was presented to First Lady of Armenia, Mrs Rita Sargsyan. Shortly after that, the President of the Armenian Diaspora in Russia, Mr Ara Abrahamyan, made a donation and started the renovation works. The center was brought back to life with a wide range of activities and the dusty stage curtain of The Culture House theatre could finally rise again.

The creation of the Internet Availability Center also triggered new creative ideasamong active members and trainers of the center. They reached the conclusion that a virtual radio station could make a significant change in the lives of visually impaired people. At the end of 2015 a new application to the new Internet Society grants “Beyond the NetFunding programme” was submitted to create an Internet Radio with the purpose of expanding the audience to the Armenians all over the world. The project started on January 2016.The estimated number of blind and visually impaired people in Armenia is 25.000 and in Diasporas 50.000. “Connecting with your own tribe is such a powerful and clear call to action” Seth Godin, the American author, said about the Internet Revolution. This is so far the most emotional part of the project: reaching out other human beings and connect them to new ideas about their lives and what they can do.

This is the dream this project is trying to make true.

We asked the incredible team from Yerevan to share it with us. Soon we will be interviewing the young leaders of the Internet Radio project.So stay tuned and don’t miss the next episode!

Watch How It All Started

Share this story

If you like this story please share it with your friends. That would tremendously help in spreading the word and raising the visibility of this project. Help more people understand how the Internet can change lives.

Do you have a great idea? We are interested in your project.

We are looking for new ideas from people all over the world on how to make your community better using the Internet. Internet Society “Beyond the Net Funding Programme” funds projects up to $ 30 000 USD. The next application deadline is coming up on 17 March 2016. We need you to apply!

The Internet Society held a workshop on Internet Exchange Point (IXP) Best Practices in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, together with the occasion of the formation of the local ISOC Chapter, and the release of the Kyrgyz Internet Environment Assessment report. This was an excellent opportunity for me to meet the local service providers and representatives of […]

The Internet Society held a workshop on Internet Exchange Point (IXP) Best Practices in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, together with the occasion of the formation of the local ISOC Chapter, and the release of the Kyrgyz Internet Environment Assessment report. This was an excellent opportunity for me to meet the local service providers and representatives of the IX-KG.

The training focused on Best Common Practice (BCP) for the operation of an IXP, as well as Best Common Practice for peering and Boarder Gateway Protocol (BGP) over an IXP. The training was also a great chance to share the work done by the IXPs in Euro-IX on the various BCPs as well as the IXP Switch wish list.

The IXP has high potential to improve the Internet in the Kyrgyz Republic. The existing IX already adds value, and building on this to create a new IX along the current BCPs for IXPs will further improve this. The IX-KG and the operators also had the chance to discuss how to setup the new IX, and the benefits.

I have by now been part of many IXP training, operator training on OSPF, IS-IS, and BGP and workshops. I have in my previous job also housed engineers from IXPs taking their first steps to get established to see how an established IXP operates. I find this work extremely satisfying, and rewarding. I have 20 years of experience doing BGP, peering, been a Tier-1 peering coordinator, been one of the largest IXP customers, and built an IXP from a local entity to one of the largest in Europe. Being allowed to give something back to the community, in the same manner that I learned but in other communities is a privilege!

Having been involved in many discussions and formations of new IXPs, one of the most common questions is always what the benefit will be and how to quantify this. ISOC described some of these benefits very well in a study on the impact IXPs can have. However, to convince engineers (and often managers) you need more hands on arguments. Some years ago I had a discussion with Emile Aben at the RIPE NCC on measuring the presence of a local IXP in the paths of Internet traffic. If this was high, the IXP played a role in the local Internet eco-system, and to keep traffic local rather than send it over transit links. Emile and the RIPE NCC have the Atlas probes that allow them to measure what path traffic takes between the various probes in a country. Emile first created a measurement for Sweden, where he looked for the IXP network in traceroutes between the Atlas probes in the country. Emile further studied this using just one IX in Sweden. This showed that some paths were not local to Sweden. When he increased this study to look for the IX networks in Norway and Denmark, this showed that most paths where “local” using the wider definition. This study was further expanded to other European countries.

At RIPE71, Emile announced that he now was doing these measurements continuously, automatically and for all countries where there were enough probes to generate data. As I was heading to Bishkek, the following week I went to the new dataset with great expectation but did not find the Kyrgyz Republic among the countries listed. It turned out there weren’t enough active probes / probes in different ASNs to generate the data needed. I decided to seize the opportunity and asked the RIPE NCC to give me some more probes to take, which I happily packed.

At the IXP Workshop, I showed the data that could be generated from the Atlas probes, and the study of what role an IXP played in improving the local Internet by keeping local traffic local. I had more takers for a probe than I had probes. I am still eagerly waiting for more probes to come on-line, but just my presentation brought more of the probes already in the country live. Now there are enough to bring Emiles data gathering live. This is great news! When the rework of the IX-KG becomes complete and real, we will for the first time be able to follow the impact on Internet routing and performance in real time. If successful, we will be able to illustrate the importance of an IXP on keeping traffic local graphically.

During the workshop, a comment was often made – but we only have local routes and members! I kept stressing the point that having a better/shorter/faster/preferred route for a local destination is always better! No matter what the traffic volume or perceived importance of that route. The value of a local route is always in the eye of the beholder. It’s not for us to judge.

I wish the IX-KG the best of luck, and I hope we can see the progress on the RIPE Atlas probes. When this happens, I will feel proud to have been able to pass on some of the knowledge, experience and ideas that were passed on to me.